'Every athlete dreams...': CWG medallists excited to meet PM Modi
New Delhi, Aug 9
India's Commonwealth Games medallists, who are set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, expressed excitement about having a face-to-face conversation with the Prime Minister, calling it "every athlete's dream to have such an experience".
India concluded its campaign with 39 medals (13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze) despite competing in a significantly reduced programme that excluded medal-rich sports such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting, finishing fourth in the medal tally.
Seema Kaliraman, who won a bronze medal in the women's discus throw in Glasgow, told IANS ahead of meeting the Prime Minister, "Every athlete dreams of having such an experience. Our Prime Minister supports athletes in every possible way and encourages us in all aspects. He also keeps checking on us from time to time and asks how things are going. As soon as we won the medal, he congratulated us as well."
India created history in para-athletics at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Soman Rana clinched the country's first-ever gold medal in the Men's Shot Put F57 event, while compatriot Shubham Juyal completed a memorable one-two by claiming silver on Saturday.
"I am from the Army, and I am very happy to have got the opportunity to meet the Prime Minister today. After winning at the Commonwealth Games, meeting him and receiving his blessings has given me a lot of motivation and encouragement, and I feel very proud," Rana said.
Shubham, meanwhile, added, "Our schedule was also quite busy after the Commonwealth Games, and now I have got the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I think this is a very good opportunity because very few people get the chance to meet the Prime Minister of their country. After such an achievement, the meeting becomes even more special. The Prime Minister is also very interested in sports and has always shown his support and encouragement towards athletes."
Boxing emerged as India's most successful discipline with 10 medals, including a record seven golds - the highest by any nation in boxing at a single Commonwealth Games. '
Weightlifting contributed eight medals, including India's first gold of the Games through Mirabai Chanu in the women's 48kg event.
Athletics delivered 10 medals, comprising five silver and five bronze. Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games, claiming silver in the men's 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Seema Kaliraman's words reflect the sentiment of every sportsperson. It's heartening to see a PM who genuinely cares about athletes' wellbeing and checks on them personally. This motivation will take Indian sports to new heights. Kudos to all the medal winners! 🙌
Amazing achievement by our para-athletes! Soman Rana and Shubham Juyal creating history in shot put F57 - that one-two finish gave me goosebumps. The support from our PM is definitely a morale booster. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
While I appreciate the gesture of meeting athletes, I hope the government also focuses on grassroots infrastructure and training facilities. The 39 medals are great, but imagine what we could achieve if we didn't have to exclude wrestling, badminton, and hockey. Let's invest more in sports science and coaching. Respect to all the athletes though!
The boxing team deserves a special shoutout - 10 medals including 7 golds is absolutely historic! And Gulveer Singh winning two individual medals in athletics is no small feat. This meeting with PM Modi will surely inspire the next generation. So proud of our champions! 🥇🥈🥉
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